The North Otago Times SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1917. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13932, 14 July 1917, Page 4

The North Otago Times SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1917. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The lighting forces of the United States are being organised along •three well-clofinccl lines, of which the most important leads to the I creation of the "new armies" by j the conscription system, known in 1 America as the selective draft. As a I 'northern'contemporary points out, j under the authority.of legislation,' passed by Congress 011 May 18, President Wilson is providing the Allies with immediate assistance by calling out for service an army of 625,000 men, ■Simultaneously, the,regular army and the National Guard are being . brought lip to wm : strength by voluntary recruit-/ ing. President Wilson was authorised to draft immediately 500,000 men, and a second force of similar .strength whenever lie deemed it necessary. Recent cable message show that the:-scheme has -been modified.by increasing the first draft to 625,000. It comprises men over 21 years and under Dl years of age. This class has been greatly restricted by numerous exemptions of specified occupation's, deemed of national importance, and of all men upon whom relatives are dependant. The registration on June 5 realised 950,000 men, and according to a 'recent cable message the net result of the draft has been 687,000, so that, the present requirements of the War Department'have been fully satisfied. This army is to be mobilised for training in September. ' I

Simultaneously with tlio proclamation of the first measure., of conscription orders wore issued for the assembly of the 1 National Guard and the Natioiwl Guard Acserve, .both voluntary organisations previously controlled by the State administrations and liable for sefvice in the {Jnitcd States only. The receipt legislation, however, placed the National Guard under federal; control, and rendered'it available ior ser.yice.in any.pai't of the world. The drafting' of the Guard into the federal

service was to be eommeneeil this week and comijletetl early in August, .It was estimated that nearly 340,000 officers and .men would thus be .mobilised, but the ultimate st);ei,igtli of the force is to be 625,000, while the regular army is to be increased to 275,000. Altogether, the President lws authority to ol'ganisi forces totalling 1,!)12,000 men. The personnel of the navy ia being almost doubled, and is within reach of its authorised strength' of 125,000.

The plan to raise a voluntary force \yhieh Mr Ityosevelt was; to lead, was sanctioned by Congress, but vetoed by the President, and his decision was . accepted. by Mr Roosevelt, and the preliminary organisation 'disbanded. While preparations are being hastened for the equipment and the training of the new citizen armies, a division of about 25,000 men from the regular army,- most of whom have recently been on active service in Mexico, has landed in France to receive,a course of training in modern warfare before taking its place alongside the armies of Britain and France. Attached to General Pershing's force are a regiment of 2600 marines, who are also Reasoned fighters, and nine regiments of engineers, comprising upwards of 12,000 men', Thus within tllroe months of the declaration of war, the United States has despatched to France about 40,000 men, without reckoning doctors, aviators ' and other specialists. These are the first steps in the "undramatic, practical, and scientifically definite and precise" methods with which President Wilson and his colleagues are organising I the nation for war.

As most people nuist have expected," the -proposed''curtailment of "Hansard" is proving too bitter a pill for the average member to swallow. Parliament is looking for a way out. As, one newspaper •suggested when '-the matter <.vas mooted first, members are afraid of establishing a precedent. They know that if once their little candles go out,j and the world keeps as bright as .ever, it will b-? very difficult indeed to prove the necessity of removing the extinguishers in succeeding days. And the knowledge is gall to 90 per cent, of them. The suggested solution by the committee committee investigating the matter is no solution at all. The actual saving in labour and material will be relatively so slight that it cannot be called a compromise even. Parlinment may as well admit at once that it has not the courage to do I lie thing bravely; like.tlie young liinii who went away sorrowfully "because lie had great possessions/' niemliers felt ft sudden desire to do the right thing, but turned away! guiltily when they realised the price. And because humbug and sophistication are our real original sins, they are trying now to look as innocent as possible, There are various statistical and departmental papers to which-thepvar knife should first be applied, but it. is by no nlcans clear that a drastic curtailment of regular debates would not be a timid economy. In a dangerous matter liltc this, discussion is the better part, o| reform. Let them talk it out. The public will understand, because the public has a very head; but other discussions will arise, and people will forget. In a word, except that the free distribution list will be reduced by two-thirds, nothing at all will happen.